Believe in Magic
by Kara Kasai
Summary: Strange dreams haunt Hikari. Is it the Dark Ocean? Takeru knows something's wrong; he's right. When they think things can't get really bad... it does. Can Takeru save her or will it all fail like planned? *TAKARI*
1. chapter 1

Believe in Magic

By Kara

Disclaimer: Toei and some other rich people own Digimon.

This story may seem weird, but I have suddenly got some supernatural-addict thing…

          Yagami Hikari loosened her grip on the crumpled bed sheets. Her dreams were intensifying, and also mystifying. 

          Hikari had short light brown hair and misty ruby-hazel eyes. Her frown deepened at her strange dreams.  She was petite, but voiced her opinion well. She was a bit pessimistic, and quite quiet. She was almost thirteen. She was strangely the most popular girl at school, because of her sweetness, kindness, and beauty. 

          She bit her lower lip, and ran her fingers through her light silky hair. She felt anger coming, passionate in her heart and unexplainable, just like many things about her… things she needed to learn.

          She sighed lightly, pulling herself out of bed and changing into her winter outfit.

          It was a blustery winter day, with light snow on the dark day. 

          _What a completely terrible day for school! _Hikari thought quietly. Her mind kept going back to her strange dream, a repetitive dream. _Stupid dream!_ Hikari thought. But she couldn't help but be reminded of the dream… the darkness, and then a bright light. Quickly, Hikari got ready for school. She left, meeting Takaishi Takeru on the way. 

          Takeru was Hikari's best male human friend. He was still twelve and not very close to thirteen as was Hikari. He had sandy golden blond hair and azure eyes full of hope and innocence. He carried the so-called "Ishida Charm." He was always full of hope and innocence; his behaviour was always a naïve child-like personality, with bright spirits. He was the polite, kind, nice, friendly gentleman. He was the popular cute basketball star that girls had crushes on. Of course, he was a bit oblivious of it. Nobody could help but like him. He was smart, sensible… a listener, always trying to brighten other people's days.

          "Hey, Hikari!" Takeru yelled cheerily, in good spirits as always.

          "Hi Takeru!" Hikari replied. Takeru would always be there for her, to support her, to protect her, to love her, to care for her, to lift her spirits up, to brighten her day, to make her laugh…

          Takeru gazed into her eyes deeply, detecting a sense of insecurity in her. "Are you okay Hikari?" Takeru gently put his hand on her shoulder, just as a symbol of reassurance to Hikari. "You can tell me…" Takeru said softly.

          "I'm just fine… I… I just didn't get a lot of sleep…" Hikari replied. It was half the truth. She wasn't fine, but she didn't get a lot of sleep either. 

          "Well, if you ever need me, I'll always be here, Hikari…" Takeru managed to whisper in her ear. He understood that Hikari needed her privacy, and would tell him when time came.

          "I know that… Don't worry about me…" Hikari let her gaze lock on to Takeru's. She could feel his body heat. She smiled weakly for Takeru's sake, the only person that she had confided to her deepest darkest secrets… not the girly kinds, but real ones… about the darkness no one else than maybe Ken and Takeru could understand. "I'm glad I know you Takeru…" she finally whispered in gratitude that he cared.

          Takeru smiled softly. "C'mon, let's go in. Why freeze ourselves to death out here?" Takeru flashed her an impish smile that Hikari couldn't resist but to laugh at. Takeru led her in. _At least I'm making her feel better… Just hope she tells me soon… I'm getting worried… _Takeru thought. 

          Hikari looked up to Takeru and smiled a genuine smile of sweetness. Normal boys would have blushed to tomato red at this, but Takeru would just smile back at her. Still, Hikari thought she caught sight of the slightest blush. _Yah, right! It's probably because it's so warm in here compared to outside… _She blushed lightly.

          Takeru didn't notice it. He was too busy being worried. "Remember Hikari, I'll always be here…" Takeru whispered seriously. Hikari gave a mere nod in answer. 

          They both headed to their lockers, right next to each other. They got their textbooks for the morning, and headed into the classroom.

          "Hi, Hikari!" Chiharu greeted energetically. (I know, lame name from Card Captor Sakura… if anybody who reads this has heard about it… But, I can't really think of Japanese names for girls!)

          Hikari gazed through Chiharu sadly. She didn't feel very sweet or energetic.

          "Hikari… Snap out of it… Enjoy yourself… You're worrying me…" Takeru spoke softly, as he tugged her closer to him. She turned her gaze to him. She could feel his worry make her guilty. 

          "I'm sorry Takeru…" Hikari began, but Takeru immediately felt bad.

          "Don't be sorry… I ought to be sorry…" Takeru put his finger on her lips. "Hush… Be yourself…"

          Hikari nodded, grateful that he had snapped her back into reality. "What would I do without you?" Hikari asked lightly. A wave of emotions rushed in her. She blushed.

          "You'd probably be hanging out with Taichi and Daisuke, playing soccer all the time… or spend all your time with Sora at the flower shop… or-," Takeru teased.

          Hikari laughed and sweatdropped at the thought. "You are too sincere…" Hikari teased. "Actually, you're right. I am very grateful that I don't have to always play soccer… but the flower shop? I don't mind gardening…"

          "Are you sure?" Takeru asked raising an eyebrow. Takeru was sure of one thing: Hikari would rather take pictures with her favoured digital camera.

          "Actually, I'd rather take pictures with my extremely favoured digital camera…" Hikari said.

          Takeru blinked. "Talk about déjà vu all over again or something…" Takeru was amused. "What _is _the definition to déjà vu anyways?"      

          "Uh… Dunno… Thanks… Promise not to tell Taichi? I don't want him to know about it… Then he'd be protective all over again…" Hikari requested softly.

          "Don't worry! But you'll tell me soon, won't you?" Takeru whispered into her ear. 

          "Of course… I've told you everything… why would I stop?" Hikari asked.

          Takeru didn't answer to it. "I think Chiharu's waiting for you, Hikari…" Takeru whispered lightly.

          "Thanks for enlightening me!" Hikari joked. She set her books down next to Takeru's.

          "Yah… Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Takeru asked full of worry.

          "Don't worry about me! It was only all a dream!" Hikari whispered softly, so softly that almost Takeru couldn't hear.

          "Was it bad? Something to fear?" Takeru asked.

          "Yah…" Hikari lowered her head.

          "Don't worry… I understand… Nightmares can't taunt during the day…" he quickly spoke. He hated his nightmare he had had for such a long time… something that plagued him in his consciousness… It was when Angemon had sacrificed himself for Takeru in the battle against Devimon. His face toughened.

          Hikari walked over to Chiharu.

          "What was that about? Hikari, have you been dating him?" Chiharu demanded gently, curious.

          "No! Of course not! Why?" 

          "Did you realize how close you were to Takeru? I thought that you two were going to kiss!" Shizuka nearly exclaimed.

          "No! You've got it wrong!" Yet, Hikari was blushing. "We've only been discussing things!"

          "Why was he so worried about you?" Hasu asked kindly.

          Now, Hikari couldn't answer that one. _What should I say? NO! Don't tell them about your weird dreams! _Hikari nearly choked down a gasp of panic. Takeru turned around at the noise and gave an 'are you okay' look. Hikari nodded quickly, but still hadn't thought of anything.

          Shizuka's eyes widened. "You didn't *whispers* sleep-." (I will NOT say the rest because… Forget about it. I hope you people don't bother me about it… Hope this is appropriate for my rating… ^-^')

          "WHAT! NO!" Hikari yelled, very disturbed. "What kind of mind do you have?"

          "A very curious one! Now spill! Please?" Chiharu quickly replied for Shizuka.

          Takeru walked over to Hikari and leaned over. "What in the world is going on?" he whispered, innocent as ever.

          "Apparently, my friends got the wrong idea… but I don't have any explanations for what we talked about…" she whispered softly.

          Takeru nodded, listening intently. "Just say you were telling me… uh… well… why you… uh… why you got no sleep last night… you… you were hyperactive…" Takeru invented very un-brilliantly.

          "Takeru… that wasn't the best answer, but I'm sure if I embellish it… they'll believe…"

          Takeru stood up straight and smiled. He left her alone.

          "Well, I called Takeru last night at like… uh… three… because I was too hyperactive to go to sleep… That's what happens when I get sugar high! And then he just said 'count sheep'… And then I fell asleep… This morning, he wanted an explanation to why I interrupted his sleep… And so…" Hikari directed her story.

          "Yo, Takeru!" Shizuka yelled boldly across the room. Takeru turned from his conversation with Daisuke, Kaji, and Justin.

          "Huh?" Takeru simply answered.

          "What was Hikari's explanation to why she called you last night at three?"

          _Uh oh… BUSTED big time! _"Hehehe… I… Uh… Well… She was… hyperactive? And… yah… Explanation enough?" Takeru said uncertainly.

          "Right enough!" Hikari covered up.

          Takeru uneasily turned. _That must have been the luckiest guess on the planet!_ He sighed as the bell that signalled the beginning of school rang. _Saved by the bell!_

          "Hope that never happens again…" Takeru softly sighed.

          "Yah, I know… If you hadn't guessed right, we would be dead… or at least I'd be." Hikari gazed thoughtfully.

          "Don't worry! I'll always pull through! Besides, I heard a bit of the conversation…"

          Hikari smiled sheepishly. "Crazy, huh?"

          "Well, it's a bit inaccurate that you could get sugar high hyperactive to three in the morning… so, yah!"

          The teacher scanned the room for absences. Attendance was quickly done, and the teacher quickly began language arts with a writing exercise. 

          Language Arts was a favourite of Takeru's. He enjoyed writing. It was one of his talents.

          "The writing exercise topic is about your family. Now, write!" the teacher exclaimed.

          Takeru grinned at the topic. He began to write away busily.__

I have a question! If Takeru has relatives in France, does that mean he's part French? And I'm guessing that Takeru takes French as his extra language? Me guess so! Well, this may not seem supernatural, but… It was very Takari-ish, ne? Please review! PLEASE!!!! 

~Kara

BTW… Did you know that Hikari is older than Takeru by a few months? It said so on this real big Digimon site, but I forgot the name. And this is after the big "million lights" episode… Did you know that in China, Japan, and Korea, if a pair is married, the last name is often the maiden's last name? I found this interesting…

          


	2. chapter 2

Believe in Magic  
  
By Kara  
  
Hi! So, has anybody notices that this will probably a Takari? Does anybody care to submit suggestions? Like in the couplings? I might be able to oblige… Please review!  
  
"Hikari?" Takeru asked softly.  
  
Hikari spun around, not realizing she wasn't alone in the almost- empty hallway. "Oh… Hi Takeru…" She didn't mean to sound so depressed as she really was.  
  
"Hikari? Do you want to tell me?" Takeru softly said. He slowly moved closer to her.  
  
"I'm sorry Takeru… I… I'm not ready to tell…" Hikari quickly drew a quavering breath. She wanted to tell the world her secret, but she couldn't. It was something uncontrollable.  
  
"It's all right, Hikari…" Takeru whispered.  
  
Hikari embraced Takeru gently. "You are the best friend anybody could ask for… Thanks…" Hikari smiled.  
  
Takeru could feel himself blushing, and tried to hide it.  
  
Hikari giggled. "I'll tell you when I'm ready, Take-chan… I know you'll always be here for me…" Hikari gently finished.  
  
Takeru nodded. 'How can I be falling for her? I… I… I'm only her best friend…' Takeru thought. Takeru blushed more.  
  
"Are you okay Takeru?" Hikari asked suspiciously.  
  
"Ah, yah!" Takeru said. "Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"Just asking!" Hikari said.  
  
"Well, see you later?" Takeru said.  
  
"Uh-hm… See you at school tomorrow! Bye!" Hikari and Takeru parted.  
  
'Something is too wrong here,' Takeru thought suspiciously. Takeru knew something would happen—he could feel it in his bones.  
  
Hikari walked stiffly down the sidewalk in the shadowed day to Heighten View Terrace apartment building. She closed her eyes, for a dark moment. Her dream came flooding back to reality, telling Hikari that it had truly been there.  
  
~Dream~  
  
The shadows lurched in the corners. Hikari turned around in fear.  
  
"Who's there?" Hikari asked.  
  
The only answers were hushed whispers of the forest, and a clamouring crash of water. It wasn't the Dark Ocean—at least Hikari didn't think so. It was dark and cold nonetheless, but also damp—with a heavy mist hanging in the air and a sense of danger on the nimble fingers of fate.  
  
Hikari was dazed, as a cold breeze blew across. She kept walking in the darkness, on the edge of fear and fate. She soon encountered a large shadow.  
  
"Who are you?" Hikari asked, on the verge of jumping out of her skin.  
  
"That is for me to know and you to find out, my dear Child of Light… You will find out soon, for I will soon be known as your greatest ultimate fear—or maybe the Child of Hope will be instead…" the voice hissed.  
  
Hikari gasped.  
  
"Yes, dear Takeru—the blond and blue-eyes hopeful brat… He thinks miracles happen—ha! And it will be proven miracles are only a figment of imagination. And you shall lure him, and be my servant," the voice continued. "This doesn't matter if you know about everything before hand—nothing can stop fate."  
  
~End of dream~  
  
Hikari shivered at the hissing voice, and the red eyes.  
  
'Who was that Digimon? WAS it a Digimon? And what does it want from me—and Takeru? What's so important about us, and how will Takeru become my worst enemy?'  
  
"Too many questions young one…" a voice hissed out of nowhere.  
  
Hikari jolted to a stop. Her eyes widened. She refused to believe that she just heard the voice—so forbidden in her mind.  
  
"Oh, you aren't imagining anything, little one—time will tell!" the voice cried.  
  
Hikari froze there. Her mind told her that she had an overactive imagination, but her senses told her she had heard him.  
  
"Hey, Hikari! You going to stand out there till dinner's through?" Taichi asked.  
  
Hikari looked up to see her older brother.  
  
Taichi was sixteen, with wispy big brown hair and brown eyes. He was shaped with courage, and good leadership skills he had learned younger—when the original digidestines had been trapped in the Digital World during summer camp. He was the jock at Seijou High, the handsome hero figure girls thought him as.  
  
"Don't worry—I'll be up in a moment! I… I was just admiring the scene—yah!" Hikari made up instinctively.  
  
Taichi nodded in approval.  
  
'I feel bad to lie to you, Taichi…' Hikari dwelled on her lying. She hurried to the floor of her apartment.  
  
"Hey, Hikari… Dinner will be ready in five minutes. 'Kay? And Takeru called… Are you done with your homework yet, or have you been dilly- dallying all day?" Taichi tackled his younger sister with questions, full of suspicion and protection.  
  
"Uh, yah… no, and no… Come again with the questions?" Hikari replied, trying to be humorous.  
  
"HAHA, do you see me laughing?" Taichi asked, keeping a fairly straight face besides the fact that he was bursting on the inside to laugh.  
  
"Yah, I see you laughing all right—tell mom I'll be ready for dinner in just a second. Okay?"  
  
Taichi nodded. Hikari walked down the bright hall, into her shades- drawn room. Pink highlight filled her room in a pleasant sappiness, and peace.  
  
Hikari sighed. 'What should I do about it all? What should I say? Should I keep it all a secret? But if I lie to Takeru—he'd just see right through me, wouldn't he? Yes, he would. Come on, Hikari Kari Yagami!' She dragged herself to her feet, to the washroom where she washed her hands and freshened up a bit.  
  
"Did you say Takeru called?" Hikari brought up the subject casually.  
  
"Yes ma'am!" Taichi saluted.  
  
Hikari grimaced. "I'm not that old! Hey, I should start calling you Grandpa if I'm ma'am! Hey, grandpa Tai!" Hikari giggled at the thought of Taichi, the young mostly brawn jock, as a wrinkled and old and fat and wise grandpa—or at least everything but wise.  
  
Hikari could no longer stifle her giggle. "Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!" Hikari laughed uncontrollably. "It is *laugh* SO *laugh* funny! Grandpas *laugh* are supposed to be *laugh* sweet and *laugh* wise *laugh* and wrinkly and fat *choke*… Buahahahaha!" Hikari burst.  
  
"WHY YOU LITTLE!" A vessel popped, and if looks could kill—well, Hikari would be one dead girl from Taichi's one and only death glare (of which I haven't seen). "HIKARI!" Taichi lunged after Hikari, rolling around that she was crying and her sides hurt. Unfortunately, Taichi missed.  
  
"Kids! Time for dinner!" Mrs. Yagami's voice rang loud and clear—like a bell.  
  
Taichi shot a mild glare at Hikari, and said, "Next time? You are dead—and there's no dinner bell to save you."  
  
"I never knew I'd actually be saved by the bell!" Hikari choked and sputtered, finally, from lack of oxygen, from laughing too hard. Hikari got up, her poor sides still aching and cramping from lack of oxygen, and dragged herself to the kitchen.  
  
"I think I've finally found my master recipe! Chicken and mushroom noodle!" Mrs. Yagami exclaimed—a little too enthusiastically.  
  
Hikari and Taichi sweatdropped. That was what Mrs. Yagami said every night. Of course, none of them just happened to be her master recipe.  
  
"This time it's your turn to comment on the dinner, sis!" Taichi hissed.  
  
Hikari nodded. "Uhm… This was… extremely unique! Very tasty, yah…"  
  
Dinner was over, and Hikari invaded Taichi's privacy of his room.  
  
"What now?" Taichi half-groaned.  
  
"Okay, spit it! What did Takeru call about?" Hikari asked, needing the information badly.  
  
"Hehe, why should I tell? When you call me a grandpa?"  
  
"Hey, you called me ma'am—for people like, what? Thirty—forty years old? Hmph!"  
  
"Aw, does Hikari have a cute little crush on Takeru T.K. Takaishi? Heh!" Taichi teased very willingly, to see if Hikari would tell anything.  
  
"No! Come on! I need to ask him about… Uhm, our math homework!" Hikari invented, not so creatively.  
  
"Okay, okay! He just asked you to call back, happy?" Taichi finally gave in to a burning red Hikari. "Yah, right… If you don't have a crush on him, why are you blushing?" Taichi taunted under his breathe.  
  
"WHAT did you say?" Hikari turned, raising her eyebrow suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing, nothing!" Taichi replied defensively.  
  
Hikari dialled the Takaishi number, to a monotonous and droning ringing.  
  
"Hello?" Hikari quietly questioned into the phone.  
  
"Hey Hikari!" Takeru answered joyfully. He was glad to hear her calm sweet voice and to know she was safe—or at least so far.  
  
"Hi, Takeru… So what is for math? I, um, kinda forgot to write it down in my planner…" Hikari brought the conversation on in a stiff formal way.  
  
"No need to be so formal, Hikari! Uh, let's see… Okay, we have pages 415-417 problems two to forty-eight—all evens. Ehm, so what's up?" Takeru asked a bit uncomfortably.  
  
"Oh, nothing… Nothing of importance—I'll see you at school?" Hikari finished.  
  
"Uh, yah… See you…" Takeru ended a bit depressed. Hikari would normally chat on and on, endlessly on different and interesting subjects the two often debated over. Normally, she would take any chance to get involved—not ever end a conversation.  
  
The line went dead. For Hikari, it was relief—relief from spilling all her thoughts and secrets into the knowledge of the whole world. "Please understand, dear Takeru…" Hikari breathed into the hushed atmosphere, into the silence and depth of the peaceful earth.  
  
Streetlights began to light the streets in brilliance of whiteness, against the midnight blue sheets of sky and yellow metallic stars hanging in the sky.  
  
"Better finish my homework…" Hikari told herself softly, and went into her warm bedroom dimly lit by a shade lamp. Her dresser top had photos and stuffed animals on it—giving her room the cozy and "home sweet home" feeling needed in the otherwise cold and dark room.  
  
So, how was that? Was it better? Please review…  
  
~Kara  
  
What is a cliché? That is one of the questions I've been troubling with. I KNOW it's an expression used so many times it's meaning is worthless, but… I've never heard clichés! And… Um… About the dream? Hey, anything can happen!  
  
If anybody needs philosophical inspiration, I highly recommend: Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. And if anybody needs supernatural inspiration, I highly recommend: Dark Secrets: Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler and The House Next Door by Richie Tankersley Cusick. Adios! Ciao! Au revoir! Buh- bye!—Or at least for now!  
  
Japan schools:  
  
~If you were wondering about the ages, if you're twelve in America or England or etc., you'd be thirteen in Japan as well as some other Asian countries. In those Asian countries, they consider you already one-year-old when you are born—unlike other countries where it's from zero.  
  
~Japanese school starts in April, and in Digimon, eighth grade is the last year for elementary/primary school and ninth grade is the first year of high/secondary school.  
  
~Japanese school starts quite early—seven about—and ends early—about two to three.  
  
~In Japan, there is school Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, AND Saturday!  
  
~There are four terms—spring, summer, fall, winter—and between those terms, there are breaks—about two to three weeks long. 


	3. chapter 3

Believe in Magic  
  
By Kara  
  
Hi people! I am a sugar-addict—or at least a cappuccino-addict… I love cappuccinos! Especially the kind from Starbucks if you've heard of it… Wow, glum weather! I don't get it… Why do people write Catherine as a slut? Or something like that… I mean she is too prim and proper and polite—like she's a china doll. And what's with it? WHY does Takeru, a supposed Japanese boy, have blond hair??? Recently, I've studied genetics… and well, there must have been a blond before in both sides of the family…  
  
Hm, I personally think that Toei was inspired by mythical stuff. You know Kimeramon, the one the Kaiser made from parts of different Digimon—well, in mythical creatures, Chimera had a front part of a combination of a lion and goat, the hind part a dragon that breathes fire… I think—I might have copied the info wrong… There's Nefertimon, some Egyptian creature—partly, and Pegasusmon—Pegasus the winged horse! Okay, to the story!!!!!!!!!  
  
Young Takeru stared out the window with a distance worry for something that seemed so unreal and untouched—preserved carefully beneath layers of dust—the layers of human evolution and knowledge. He slid his hand onto the smooth and cold window, tracing the raindrops carefully. He slowly shivered, bringing him to reality and full of his senses.  
  
"Darn it all!" Takeru yelled angrily. He knew something was going to happen—something bad. 'Please Kari… Please tell me soon…' Takeru pressed himself with questions. 'What is going to happen? Please tell…'  
  
"Takeru? Is anything wrong?" Mrs. Takaishi called out.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong…" Takeru answered quietly. 'Damn it Takeru! Grip Yourself!' But Takeru's other side argued. 'I can't… Why won't she tell me? There is something too wrong!'  
  
The glum evening looked down upon Takeru. The raindrops continued at its pitter-patter, and continued to drop from the sky—as if the sky were mourning for a great death. The dark cloudy sky was cold and sharp, with a thunderstorm in the gray distance. Lightning bolts of a dim yellow crashed in the distance, heard for miles with its dark pleasurable rumble.  
  
Takeru walked out onto the patio. "STOP IT!" he yelled angrily at the cold Mother Nature. He wasn't really bothered by the rain. The thing that bothered him was the truth about what was bothering Hikari, his best girl friend. He was letting out his tension upon the weather—something so many was blamed on.  
  
Takeru stuck his head out into the storm from the lightly covered area. He let the rain whip his face. He needed it—to cleanse his soul clean of his fear and anger. The raindrops soon became his own—tears of fear and hate and anger, towering over Takeru's friendly and positive side. He bit his lower-lip, and walked back into the apartment, half-drenched in water.  
  
Mrs. Takaishi came out of her room. "You're drenched!" she exclaimed. Then she looked out the window briefly. "This is going to be a long night…"  
  
Takeru looked up sadly. He really wanted to resign from what he held—the deep dark secrets—but he couldn't, and didn't have time to give in to a coddle or admit and cry it all out and confess it to somebody.  
  
"Those hands will kill…" hissed an unfamiliar voice, cold and distinct.  
  
Takeru jerked up. He carefully looked down at his hands, clenched tightly. They were white and cold. "Did you hear anything?" he asked, uncertainly.  
  
Mrs. Takaishi raised her eyebrow. "Are you all right?" She put her hand on his head, thinking her son had gotten a bad cold, and was very ill. "No fever… It was probably the howling of the wind…"  
  
'It was just the howling of the wind… Yah!' Takeru tried to convince himself. 'But I heard something,' another part of him argued. He trembled for a second from fear, far distinct.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Mrs. Takaishi asked quickly.  
  
"No… No, nothing at all…" he replied. 'Nothing yet, at least…' Takeru added quietly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The day dawned with a lovely pink across the cold and icy atmosphere.  
  
"Takeru, honey! Don't forget to wear a coat! I don't want you to catch cold! Are you sure you don't want me to give you a ride?" Mrs. Takaishi frowned, worried.  
  
"Don't worry! I'm getting a ride… from Mrs. Inoue!" Takeru created. 'I'm sorry, mom… I hate to lie to you…' Takeru exited the building into the cold and blustery atmosphere. He shivered instinctively, his teeth beginning to chatter, and rubbed his hands together. "This is going to be a long walk, eh?" Takeru joked with himself quietly, against the loud howl of the fast wind.  
  
Takeru began to walk slowly to school. 'Please let me meet Hikari on the way,' a voice in his mind begged. He neared the school.  
  
"Takeru?" a small and lost voice cried out in surprise.  
  
"Huh?" Takeru snapped from deep thought. "Oh, hi Hikari…" Takeru couldn't help but blush so lightly.  
  
"Hi, Takeru…" she said.  
  
"Please tell me, Hikari…" Takeru begged sadly. "I know there is something… something too wrong with all this…"  
  
"I'm sorry, Takeru… I just can't bring myself to tell anybody—not even you—about this. It travels deeper…" Her voice quavered, on the verge of giving in and confessing everything.  
  
"I guess I understand…" Takeru said rather icily—but his voice breaking to a sympathetic and woeful voice. He walked to the school door, and into the warm and pleasant school.  
  
"I'm sorry Takeru… I'm only trying to protect you, for once… Not you protecting me…" she said softly under her half-choking voice. She wanted to cry, and be sympathized. She wanted to be protected, but she also wanted to prove herself. Hikari slowly turned into the warm classroom.  
  
"Hi, Hikari…" Daisuke said.  
  
Daisuke Motomiya had spiky auburn hair and brown eyes. He was a great soccer player, not completely modest and not too smart. He had an obvious crush on Hikari, but lessening a bit. He was thirteen, compared to Hikari and Takeru. He had the qualities of a rather rash yet fair leader, and the qualities of a true friend. He was good with girls, not as good as Takeru, and a short-tempered hothead.  
  
"Well, T.S. is really worried, okay?" Dai finally broke the silence.  
  
She nodded. 'I'll tell you sometime, Takeru…'  
  
The school day flew by, with Takeru and Hikari not talking to each other.  
  
It was still cold after school.  
  
"Hikari! Wait!" Takeru cried. "I… I'm sorry… It's just that… I'm worried about you… You will tell me, when you're ready, won't you?"  
  
"Yah… Don't worry… I know you'll always be here for me… Thanks, you're a great friend…" Hikari finally said.  
  
Takeru nodded sadly. He knew Hikari wouldn't give in, but that would lead to some trouble eventually. He knew something bad was going to happen—he was getting bad vibes all over.  
  
Hikari turned away, trying to gaze upon her future. 'Will I always have to cower? Is this just a taunting dream, and nothing more? Or is it more than it seems?' Hikari asked herself. She was desperate for answers, but the more questions she asked, the greater her fears became.  
  
"Through my darkest hours… light will always shine… And through the world's despair… hope will always live…" Hikari said quietly, her voice blending into the rhythm of the wind and commotion around. "And like the popular quote from America… There is nothing to fear except fear itself…" Hikari became more confident in herself.  
  
Something held Hikari aback from full confidence. There was one lone question that stood in her mind. 'What is fear?' Hikari thought. She could feel herself retreat from her confidence, into a mere vulnerable and scared child.  
  
Hi! So… how is it so far? Sorry for the rather short chapter… Jeez! Those stupid italics… I can't figure out how anybody gets their italics to upload… that's the explanations to why the other chapters may have seemed weird with the sudden usage of 'I' or 'we'. So… Did you know that High school—you pay for it? Yah… It's not for free… Only for the first nine grades it's free…  
  
~Kara  
  
BTW: what is 'gaijin'? From Karensedai-kibou no tenshi… Maybe I need to widen my vocabulary… yep, that's on my to do list.  
  
Another BTW: Does anybody know a good Digimon season 03 site, or at least a good Digimon site? 'Cause I sorta need some info on Digimon. (Yes, I am newly hooked onto Digimon, so tell me if characters are out of character—I don't know exactly how they'd act…) 


	4. chapter 4

Believe in Magic  
  
By Kara  
  
Oh, gosh! I have messed up COMPLETELY with my sewing project for Home. Ec. I have found out that I stink with the sewing machine… Now, there is a big wad of thread in a knot on my shorts, and I have no idea how to un-knot it. Maybe I should just stick to Basketball, swimming, roller blading, singing, writing, and everything other than sewing. *sweat drops* Anyways… I'm starting to wonder why I called this story "Believe in Magic." *sweat drops again* Well, please review! I work hard on this, for no money and on my own time…  
  
Hikari's head throbbed with pain. She couldn't take the impact of it all.  
  
She closed her eyes, and let her head sink into the pillow.  
  
She was at a place with heavy mist and thick air. Everything was foggy, and dusty.  
  
"Where am I?" she asked herself.  
  
The fog soon cleared, to an open dusty field. There was a shadowed creature. Hikari could see herself, and Takeru on the field, a little bruised up.  
  
Hikari snapped out of her vision, and gasped. What was everything supposed to mean to her?  
  
Hikari sadly gazed out the window. 'I wish I could be strong… And be hopeful… I wish I could be like Taichi, courageous and a good leader… not meek and quiet like me… I wish I were hopeful like Takeru… I'm sorry, Takeru… I need to prove myself to me… I need to know that I don't need to be protected…'  
  
Hikari bit her lower lip, to prevent herself from crying out in pain. She half staggered into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face, relieving her by a little.  
  
Hikari slowly brought her gaze to a clock. 'Only four thirty!' she thought, not one bit drowsy. She was only a bit nauseous. She heard footsteps. She quickly turned.  
  
"What are you doing up?" Taichi yawned. "Is anything wrong?"  
  
Hikari felt relief. "Uh… no… I just… was awoken by my clock and… I can't seem to get back to sleep… I must've set it wrong…" Hikari lied.  
  
"Oh… okay…" Taichi once again yawned. He returned to bed.  
  
Hikari sighed, and looked around. She was restless. She knew she couldn't go back to sleep with the images of the fresh dream in mind. 'A shower… cleanse me of my secrets…' she thought.  
  
She stepped into the shower, hot and lulling. She took a long forty- five minute shower, and stepped out. She dried her hair.  
  
Hikari stiffened, her muscles becoming tense. Something was wrong. She gazed into the mirror. She froze and swallowed slowly.  
  
'No… no… no!!!! I must be going crazy!!!' Hikari thought. She trembled in fear, and grabbed her brush. She refused to believe it. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. But it was there… in harsh reality…  
  
Hikari screamed. She felt like she was being choked, as if somebody was trying to muffle her scream. She continued to scream. But could anybody hear her???  
  
"HELP!!!!!" she yelled bloody murder, terrified.  
  
*  
  
Takeru suddenly jerked up straight. He had dreamt something… so strange. He had dreamed that he had been writing something. He had a bloody knife in one hand… and he had a jar with thin red blood. And he had been writing something… but he couldn't remember.  
  
He nervously got out of bed, and paced back and forth until his heart stopped racing. He gasped softly. He didn't know what to make of his dream. 'Could it possibly connect to anything?' he thought.  
  
Takeru was restless. He knew he couldn't go back to bed. Besides, who would at 5: 15??? He'd have to get up at six anyways.  
  
Takeru rubbed his hands. They were strangely… soft and warm, with a wrinkled look… 'I didn't take a shower!' he told himself. He laughed nervously, as he glanced about.  
  
"Those hands will kill… again…" a cold and distinct voice hissed.  
  
Takeru jerked his head, and he turned. A cold feeling went up his spine. "Again?" he stammered. His heart raced, and his head throbbed.  
  
He clenched his fists, so they were all white. "Who are you???" he yelled angrily, feeling so helpless.  
  
There was no answer, except his door creaked, mysteriously, and a cold draft entered the room.  
  
"Mom???" he questioned weakly. He felt like he would pass out—from a vague fatigue… seemingly faraway, but so near… He was so tired, as he breathed heavily.  
  
*  
  
Taichi gazed at the scene sadly and angrily.  
  
"You've done all you can," Mr. Yagami tried to comfort his son.  
  
The police had come, but they couldn't figure anything out.  
  
Taichi peaked into the bathroom. Somehow… somehow, the misty hot fog was still there… nothing else, though. But he trusted his sister. He knew, somehow, something was dead wrong. "What happened here?" he questioned gravely and softly.  
  
Taichi frowned. 'Rooms can't talk…' he chided himself. 'I should have noticed something earlier… how she had been acting so funny.' Taichi swiftly turned, and eyed the phone. He should have done it earlier, but he forgot, and it was still only five forty-five.  
  
He slowly dialed a number, and waited at the monotonous ring…  
  
*  
  
Takeru waited for something to happen. The house was dead quiet. The quietness was certainly eerie, and gave the house a… dead sense. Nothing stirred, like the world was dead—or at least the house.  
  
Takeru began to tap his hands softly, but the continuous tapping made the house sound eerier. He stopped himself. 'Nothing's alive, Takeru… It's all part of your overactive imagination!' Takeru told himself.  
  
Suddenly, a loud ring came.  
  
Takeru jumped at the urgent sound, and slowly picked the phone up.  
  
"Takaishi residence…" he said as calmly as he could. "And who is this?"  
  
"Takeru?" Taichi greeted coldly.  
  
"Uh… hi…" Takeru replied, feeling something bad had happened.  
  
"Why are you awake?" Taichi asked suspiciously.  
  
"Uh… the phone was ringing?" Takeru answered.  
  
"Or were you awake before? You don't sound very sleepy…" Taichi continued accusingly.  
  
"I was awake before… I had a bad dream…" Takeru finally confessed.  
  
"Do you know what's up with Hikari?" Taichi asked as casually as he could.  
  
"Well… she's been acting strangely… but, that's it…" Takeru slowly told Taichi.  
  
Taichi growled. "What did you do??? What did she say??? Why didn't you tell me???" he demanded.  
  
"Well…" Takeru felt his self-esteem shrink. "I promised not to tell… She didn't tell me anything either… She only said that… she had a bad dream…"  
  
Taichi stiffened. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yah…" Takeru said uncertainly. "Uh… why?"  
  
"You'll hear… later…" Taichi promised. "But… I don't feel comfortable talking about it…"  
  
"Okay… Well, bye…" Takeru felt relief flooding into him. He knew that he didn't really want to hear why.  
  
"Bye…" Taichi hung up.  
  
Takeru turned on the kitchen light, and made himself some breakfast. Soon, he turned on the television to see the weather forecast… but something caught his eye on local news. He turned up the volume.  
  
"And, in the six 'o clock news, you will hear about a strange scene, involving a young girl who attends Odaiba Elementary, the morning car crash…" the announcer drawled.  
  
Takeru froze. He had a bad feeling… a really bad feeling that it was Hikari who was in the "strange scene."  
  
Mrs. Takaishi entered the kitchen, and greeted her son. "Good morning, Takeru… You're up early."  
  
Takeru merely gave a stiff nod, and listened carefully.  
  
"And to the strange scene," the television anchor began. "This morning, at five fifteen A.M."—Takeru frowned. He had woken up… exactly at five fifteen—"Yagami Hikari, a thirteen-year-old girl attending Odaiba Elementary"—Takeru froze at Hikari's name—"was found in her house in the bathroom, screaming. She kept telling the police to look into the mirror, into the red words."—Takeru frowned—"However, although she took a shower quite some time ago, the fog is still there… and…"  
  
The anchor woman turned to a screen and said, "Good morning, Jenko… Can you tell us anything about this… paranormal event?"  
  
"Yes… Let's show you the bathroom…"—the bathroom mirror was still foggy—"this is how the place was found thirty minutes ago"—suddenly, the mirror broke into hundreds of pieces and the guide jumped—"Well…"—red blood became visible—"This is interesting! The writing seems to say…"—Takeru froze. He couldn't believe what the writing said. He let his bowl crash to the ground.  
  
HAHAHAHAHA!!! I know you guys don't earn a cliffhanger, since you waited so long for this chapter… but… I couldn't resist!!!!!! I haven't decided what it says, yet… *sweat drops* Anyways… What happened to Hikari, anyways? Did… did she die??? I haven't decided that, either… In fact, I worked fairly hard on this chapter… However, due to minor writers' block, I was delayed. That's why there might be a choppy part in the beginning. I started it, but then, I got writers' block. I despise writers' block… Please be nice and review!!!! Or else I might not have enough imagination or inspiration to write the next chapter…  
  
~Kara Kasai 


	5. chapter 5

Believe in Magic

By Kara Kasai

Disclaimer: _I do not own Digimon. Toei does. OK??? _

Please review, at the end! You see that little button that says "Click to Review"? Well, click it!!!!! Please review!!! By the way, do I need to raise the rating??? I'm not sure to what's appropriate…

_--Last Time: _

_"Yes… Let's show you the bathroom…"—the bathroom mirror was still foggy—"this is how the place was found thirty minutes ago"—suddenly, the mirror broke into hundreds of pieces and the guide jumped—"Well…"—red blood became visible—"This is interesting! The writing seems to say…"—Takeru froze. He couldn't believe what the writing said. He let his bowl crash to the ground._

          Mrs. Takaishi turned abruptly, at the sound of the crashing bowl. However, her attention was drawn to the television…

          Takeru didn't hear what the guide said. His head was muddled. He couldn't think straight.

          "The writing seems to say…"—the guide squinted—"Nothing can stop fate, Child of Light. Child of Hope will be your worst enemy… Through the darkest hours, Light will fail to shine… And through the world's despair, Hope will be forgotten. I know everything… You can't run away from me… I am everywhere…"—the guide paused—"Hmm… That's certainly strange…"

          Takeru trembled. He remembered what he wrote. He had written the exact same words in his dream. 'What's happening?' he thought nervously. 

          "Is anything wrong Takeru?" Mrs. Takaishi asked.

          "Uhh… No, nothing's wrong…" Takeru answered. He began to clean the broken pieces of glass up. 'What's happening to my world?' he thought. 'Is Hikari alright?' 

*

          Hikari groaned. She felt so tired, and weak, and she hurt all over. She opened her dark hazel eyes to the plain antiseptic white room. She touched the bed sheets.

          "Umm… Can anybody tell me what's happened?" Hikari asked in a small voice. She was… scared. She remembered something had happened, but what? "Anybody? Who am I? Where am I?"

          Hikari looked to the side. She saw a table, and a card…

          "I must be Hikari…" she stated in a hollow voice, dry and grave. "I am Hikari…" she mumbled once again. 

          Then, she remembered everything. "Am I in the hospital??? Takeru? Taichi?" she panicked. "Anybody??? Please, don't leave me alone! I… I… I don't want the darkness to get me…" she stammered nervously.

          She got out of bed slowly, and looked across the room.

          "Please… whoever you are… don't take Takeru… just take me… instead…" she said desperately. She wrung the bed sheets in her hand nervously. 

          "Ah, but that won't due any good… Hope and light must be gone from this here world…" the cold voice said.

          Hikari froze. "Get out of my head!" she shouted. 

          Tears formed in her eyes. She could feel a great pain in her head…

          She slowly crawled back into her bed, and sleep drowned her.

          When Hikari woke up, she was confused. She could hear voices…

          "Hey, kiddo…" Taichi greeted. 'Thank god she's OK,' he thought.

          Hikari heard: "Hey kiddo… Thank god she's OK."

          "Taichi! Don't talk like I can't hear you!" Hikari accused.

          "What???" Tai became confused. "Well… Takeru is here… I'll leave you two alone…"

          Takeru entered, as Taichi exited.

          "Hey, Hikari… umm… so, how's it going???" he stammered. 'Did I write those words??? Like in my dream???' he thought.

          "What about your dream???? You wrote the same words???" she demanded.

          Takeru was surprised. 'How did she know what I was thinking?' he wondered.

          "You… you didn't say those words out loud???" she asked. 

          "No…" Takeru answered slowly.

*

          Hikari didn't want to believe it. How could she suddenly be telepathic? Was she like some crazy person??? She tried to form a barrier against the extra voices, but she did not succeed. 

          Angry, Hikari punched her bedding. She knew it did no good, but she needed the voices out of her head. She couldn't rest. The scene kept repeating in her head. _How am I supposed to figure this out? _she questioned herself. _Did Takeru really write those words? Please, say no… and if he did? Was he possessed? _

          Questioning wasn't any good. 

          Hikari sighed. _When will I be released from this hospital? _she asked herself finally. She tiredly stretched and gazed out the window, absentmindedly. The young girl breathed at a regular pace and relaxed her muscles. She blanked her mind, and blanked out the voices she heard. Soon, she fell asleep, like an angel.

*

          Wiping his forehead in wonderment, blond Takeru stared across the room of his study hall. He wanted to go outside, and do something to keep his hands busy. He _needed_ something to do, to keep his mind away from the morning's incident. 

          _Do your homework, _Takeru instructed himself. _After school you can meet up with Hikari… _

          Takeru leafed through his homework, deciding to finish his math homework. Although his body was there, his mind truly wasn't. The youth's thoughts drifted to the incident once again.

          _It's no use! I just can't concentrate, _he thought angrily.

          Takeru tightened his muscles and clenched his teeth. He was exasperated with himself. _C'mon, Takeru, _he thought, _self-control! Don't lose your self-control… _Takeru loosened his muscles and nervously tapped the table. 

          The end of the period came soon. Takeru relaxed himself and headed for his locker to drop his things off for the last class of the day: gym. 

          "Takeru, hey!" Kaji yelled. Kaji was a classmate of Takeru. "We're playing basketball in the inside courts again. Do you think we'd ever get sick of basketball?" Kaji was also a basketball player.

          Takeru forced a chuckle and a grin. "No… I never imagined it… but this must be the worst winter ever…" Takeru glanced out a nearby window, trying to decide whether weather had anything to do with the late incidents.

          Kaji observed the scene. "Thinking about Hikari-kun??" he asked.

          Takeru was frozen into place at the words. A light blush rose to his cheeks. "Wha-what makes you think that?" Takeru stammered. He turned away from Kaji's amused gaze.

          "You didn't answer the question," Kaji taunted teasingly. 

          "Yeah," Takeru finally admitted. "I'm worried… Maybe I didn't do enough… maybe I should have told Tai…"

          "Dude? Chill!" Kaji suggested. "C'mon, let's play basketball!"

          Takeru nodded obediently, but still not satisfied with the answers he was given. 

*

          Takeru quietly approached Hikari's room. He opened the door. "Hikari?" he called quietly.

          "Hi, Takeru…" Hikari replied. "I don't have a lot of homework, do I?"

          "Nope…" Takeru answered.

          "Finally, a blessing!" Hikari exclaimed, giggling.

          Takeru chuckled, suddenly in a good mood. His mood turned serious again. "Hikari… please, tell me…" he said. Privately, off guard, he wondered, _Do I like her? _

          Hikari blurted, "Like whom???"

          Takeru turned red. "Nothing, nothing! Anyway, tell me about the dream, Hikari," he demanded. 

          "Well…" Hikari paused, hesitating. 

          "Please? Your worry me, Hikari… Please tell," Takeru asked desperately.

          "Well…" Hikari thought for a moment, and decided to give in. She knew that she needed help to solve the problem, and the only person she had to turn to was Takeru. She told him about her strange and mystifying dreams. "So what do you think???" Hikari asked as she reviewed her dreams.

          "Sounds strangely suspicious," Takeru commented. "Maybe… are you sure it isn't in the dark world? The Dark Ocean???" he questioned. "I mean… maybe we're dealing with something… completely different." Takeru reviewed his clues, and decided immediately that the dreams might be telling them something.

          "Well… I wasn't sure. Maybe, but I could only hear waves crashing. I didn't exactly see the ocean… And I don't think it's a Digimon. Whatever it is, it can watch over us as it wishes… I… I heard a cold and distinct voice, telling me that time will tell," Hikari answered.

          "I think I heard that voice," Takeru said, mildly shivering at the thought. "He said my hands would kill."

          A nurse approached the room. "Visiting hours are over," she said meekly.

          "OK… See you, Hikari," Takeru bid farewell. 

          Takeru walked home slowly. He was in mild denial. _Do I like her? Of course, _he thought_, she's my best friend. Why wouldn't I like her? Do I have a crush on her? She looks just like an angel… She is an angel. OK, Takeru… you do like her? She's only your best friend! _

          Takeru shook his thoughts about Hikari away. He still couldn't help but lightly blush. _If I don't have a crush on her, _he thought, _then why did I suddenly have a good mood around her? _

          Takeru went to his room that night, baffled with his puzzling new feelings. Staring out at the midnight blue sky sprinkled with twinkling stars, he said quietly, "Maybe I like her… Can I fall for my best friend?" Nervously, Takeru looked at his picture of Hikari. _Takeru, stop denying! You're falling for Hikari… and there's nothing you can do about it, _he told himself. Soon, he laid himself to sleep, thinking of his angel Hikari and wishing her the best.

Hey… good chapter??? Hope so! Please review by pressing that button at the bottom left hand corner!!!!! Or at least I think it's there. Hope it didn't run away, hehe… 

~Kara Kasai


	6. chapter 6

Believe in Magic

By Kara Kasai

Disclaimer: _ I will never ever own Digimon! That's something that will never happen… not even in my wildest dreams. Well, maybe, but… I don't own Digimon in reality. 'K? So please do NOT sue me!!!!!!!!!_

Hi! I'm in a good mood, full of sappiness and action in the chapters… Well, please review!

          Hikari was back in school, up and running around with friends as usual. 

          Settling back in her chair, Hikari decided that her life was changing. Somehow, she couldn't place her finger on it. The thing that was obvious was that Daisuke no longer had a crush on Hikari. What a relief it was to Hikari. Another thing had changed in her life that she couldn't quite put her finger on… 

          "I just can't get this problem right!" she finally exclaimed, exasperated. 

          Takeru, her study buddy, leaned over her shoulder. "It's simple… here, I'll demonstrate…" Takeru gave her his irresistibly cute grin and began mimicking. "First, you need to…" he began.

          Hikari burst into laughter. "But sir!" she exclaimed in delight. "Isn't math supposed to be pure logic?" she demanded.

          Finally, Takeru couldn't help it but laugh… downright to crying. Takeru knew that he had to keep his mind busy with work. If his mind wandered to Hikari… he knew that she'd be able to sense it.

          Hikari smiled, content. Then she realised that the change in life was… Takeru! Takeru was just… different. He was still friendly and smart and logical… but it was as if something had changed in his life. It was as if Takeru had found… a true love? Hikari paused in her work to think her theory over. She giggled at her theory. 

          "Takeru?" she asked sweetly. "Guess what theory I had that was so… so… funny!"

          The handsome blond turned his head in her direction. "What?" he demanded.

          "Well… I'm not sure how… but, you've changed… right? And, for a moment, I had the theory that you had found a true love… like in a sappy romance novel!" Hikari burst into laughter. 

          Takeru laughed along with her, by force. "Ha ha ha! Good one, Hikari!" he told her.

          Hikari was disappointed. _Wait, I can't go thinking like that! I'm not supposed to fall in love for my best friend…_

          "Yeah, but anyways…" Hikari focused. She could hear Takeru thinking…

          _Almost caught, _he thought briefly. _Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries, _he repeated in his head, so his mind's thoughts didn't wander to Hikari.

          "Excuse me?" Hikari gave Takeru a confused look. "Strawberries?" she questioned.

          "Hikari! You're not supposed invade other people's privacy, you know!" he informed. "For your information… I happen to like strawberries," he said stubbornly. 

          "Ohhh… kaaaay…" Hikari replied slowly. She was still getting used to hearing extra voices, and could sometimes block them out. However, she and Takeru agreed that it would not be a good idea to tell about Hikari's new telepathic gift.

*

Sweat trickled down Hikari's hot and flushed red cheeks. Her hair was matted down to the skin. She was hot and felt sticky, in the midst of the quite cool night. Her heart beat fast… fast… and faster… She breathed heavily with jerking heaving sounds.

          Suddenly, she jerked up, ready to scream. She realized that it had only been a dream, and muffled her short yelps of terror and screams of fear.

          "What does this all mean?" she questioned aloud, in a nervous and frantic voice. She took a couple of deep breaths, practicing relaxation exercises she had learned from the test taking. She calmed herself down, with butterflies in her stomach, nervous and petrified in shock. The butterflies were ready to come up, but Hikari wouldn't allow it. She took a deep breath and held it, counting to ten. She released the breath. Now, she could think clearly… too clearly, and too awake.

          "No, no… No, what does it mean? Tell me, please!" Hikari begged quietly, perking her ears for any hint of a cold and distinct voice—cold like a sharp knife. "I mean, surely! It can't be true!" she said, half-laughing crazily and nervously. "I was… in the dark shadowy place again," she recalled, "and… I was walking… nearer and nearer to the cave, I think. And then I could hear a terrible and crazy laugh… pure evil… I was running, running to the cave. I couldn't see anything except a few shadows. Something came behind me and reached for me, clutching me tightly. I thought I was suffocating, and thought my end was nearing… and then… you flew up, high. You were about to kill me with a sword… long and gleaming, right?"

          The cold and sharp voice came. "Oh, yes… yes, Hikari, my dear… The Child of Light, yes… In fact, I'm not sure how you survived that shock. Near death in your dreams while sleeping creates shock, and the shock releases chemicals in your body. These chemicals can kill you—pardon me, _should have _killed you. Somehow, you survived. I guarantee you that you'll be dead before you're thirteenth birthday."

          Hikari gasped nervously. Not only because of the information the voice had given her, but because she could feel a darkness surround her… "I don't think so…" she said, very uncertain. "No, no," she denied.

          "Well, girl, you want answers? They say… before death, all answers are answered… and you will see your whole life pass by… Like I said, the Child of Hope will be your worst enemy," the cold and cruel voice said harshly. He laughed the crazy evil laugh that villains laughed in cartoons, except that this was real.

          Hikari froze, and nervously shivered. "I won't tell Takeru," she decided. She didn't want to return to sleep, afraid of dying in her sleep, and turned a light on and read a book.

*

"What do you think it means?" Takeru questioned aloud.

          Takeru and Hikari were at Takeru's house—where his mother was gone and where they had some privacy in conversation. They were discussing the sudden showing of telepathy and the dreams.

          "I don't know, Takeru…" Hikari replied slowly. "I just don't know…"

          Hikari still didn't tell Takeru everything, although she trusted him. _Takeru, it's something you just won't know… I won't tell… _she told herself. She had convinced herself that it was the best thing for her to do, but she was still rather uncertain. She wasn't confident in her decision because she was used to being the follower, not the leader.

          Takeru studied Hikari for a moment. He sensed that something was wrong—she was unsteady and frightened. "You're keeping a secret," Takeru said neutrally.

          Hikari was startled by what he said. "What?" With a quick comeback, she said, "No, I'm not…" 

          Takeru didn't believe her one bit, but he let it pass. "Okay," he said. "Whatever..."

          Hikari, who had been expecting a confrontation from Takeru, was relieved. Normally, Takeru could tell if Hikari was lying or not, but this time, he couldn't. 

          There was uncomfortable silence between them. Takeru walked across his room, while Hikari stared into a picture of them—Hikari and Takeru, laughing and having a good time.

          _If only our life could still be that simple, _she thought wistfully. _But reality check, it isn't… What's happening to me? Why did I suddenly get telepathic gifts? Hm… I wonder what Takeru is thinking—"She's lying. I just know it, but I don't want to pry. Should I pry, or should I let it be? Or… or… Hikari, if you're listening in, know that I'll find out one way or another."_

          Hikari cut her line to Takeru off. She simply couldn't bring herself to listen anymore, or she would tell him what he was prying for. 

          "I'll go on the Internet… I just have to search for a few things—make yourself comfortable if you want," Takeru informed Hikari.

          She was about to object. They were supposed to work together on things. 

          "Just do the homework, or else Taichi and Yamato will think something awfully suspicious is going on," Takeru explained.

          Hikari sighed, forfeiting. "Fine, _Takeru-kun_," she said, stressing "Takeru-kun" coldly. 

          Takeru winced at Hikari's coldness. He felt hurt, but he decided to ignore it. He went to the computer room, turned the computer on, and connected onto the Internet. Carefully, he typed in "telepathy" onto google.com and waited. Finding his answer, he went back to the search page and typed in "prophetic dreams" and once again waited.

          Takeru had a hunch. He just needed information about the topics. Then, he would be able to conclude if his hunch had been correct. 

          Getting answers, Takeru perked his ears. He could hear Hikari nearing to the room.

          "Hikari? Are you done with the homework?" Takeru asked, exiting the windows. 

          "Yes, Takeru. What were you searching?" Hikari asked curiously.

          "Oh, nothing much… I was just wondering if you could go places in dreams," Takeru replied shortly and simply. There was nothing much for him to say because he didn't want Hikari to know what he was really searching for.

          "Why?" Hikari asked, confused.

          "Uh… nothing important—it's just because…" Takeru began.

          Hikari was becoming suspicious. "Look, I've got to go, okay? Uh… bye," she said.

          Takeru didn't try to stop her. _She has her own will and she can go by her own will_, he told himself. _I can't control her, and wouldn't want to control her. _

          Hikari felt disappointed that he didn't try to stop her. She mentally slapped herself. _He's only your best friend. Nothing more than just friends… Ha, wishful thinking Hikari, if you want to be more than just friends with Takeru…_

          Takeru watched Hikari leave in the dreadful weather, just a small, shadowed, hunched figure in the gusty wind and weather. 

Well, was that a good chapter? In honest, I've been neglecting this story—like a few others—but I can't help it. I'm finishing my Card Captor Sakura story up... And I've been really busy doing stuff. I'm hoping that by September, I'll have this story finished. September is only four weeks away… Hehe, I'm counting… since the new semester starts in September. Good thing: new record, bad thing? More final exams! Eh, it neutralizes…

So, please, please, please review and be patient with me. I'm working hard! I just need to get my plot a bit more organized. So, please review! –I think I really need it, 'cause I'm a little bit out of ideas momentarily. And I need to work on my paragraph/chapter/story form… AH!!! I realised how bad it was… Well, please review!

~Kara Kasai

PS: sorry it took so long to update. Anybody know how to cure writers' block, the worst come-and-go disease ever? 


	7. chapter 7

Believe in Magic

By Kara

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, and I'm broke so don't try to sue me. All you'd get is… some string and an empty Coca Cola can.

Well, hello y'all! So… Uh, please review! Yeah, and to the story! – Yeah, I know, today's chapter is unusually  boring, but it'll pay off. Next chapter has more action – and sorry for being gone so long. Laptop crashed, and now I'm back. I'll try to update soon. :)

Hikari sat up straight, her sheets half-drenched in an invisible sweat. "Was it…? No, it couldn't be," she thought aloud. She got out of the bed, but the after effects of the dream were still on her. She could feel the darkness following her with every step she took, the same familiar and eerie scent, the same breeze……yet, she wasn't at the World of Darkness, was she? She had her doubts. Still, she could feel the dark shadows follow her into the day, the dark call at her feet…but she was still in the Real World.

            "Hikari?" Taichi called, peeking into the room, wondering if his sister was just talking to herself for the fun of it, or if she was going crazy… _Unlikely, _he thought with half of a snort. "Kari? Is there anything wrong?" he asked suspiciously, because lately, he felt as if she were hiding something from him; it wasn't quite an obvious feeling, but it was there nonetheless. Though she said everything was fine, he didn't trust her words completely. 

            Hikari mildly panicked, but if she had managed to stay strong against Takeru, she felt that she could do so with Taichi. She could still remember the boy's angry words when she had last gone to the World of Darkness. He had told her she needed to be her own person, that she didn't have to be like her brother. "Nandemo nai," she replied, "It's nothing." She grasped her sheets into a tight fist, hoping that he would believe her. 

            Taichi frowned, but shrugged his doubts away. How could he be a good brother if he didn't trust her…? She was, after all, growing up and he couldn't stop her from being her own person, not needing any more protection. She was in the middle of the strong light; she was the light – she was strong.

*

It was quite a warm day for autumn-winter. The autumn breeze was still in air, but the winter rain and snow and gusty winds were coming. That much could be told, since the past few days, winter weather had been coming on and off. Yet, the colour of the trees were still like autumn, of bright oranges, reds, browns, and yellows, falling gently to the ground.

            Inoue Miyako had decided that she would walk to school that morning. She was determined to find out what was happening between Takeru and Hikari. As far as she could tell, there was something wrong. 

            Miyako had long lavender hair and hazel-coloured eyes, framed by large glasses. She was a sincere, and caring person. Often she depended on first impressions, and appearance. The fourteen-year-old was smart, and kept her ear to the ground, hearing all the rumours. That's who she was, honest and caring.

            Miyako went down the building's hall to Hida Iori's apartment. She knocked on the door, waiting patiently. 

            Hida Iori answered the door. "Hi, Miyako."

            "Hey, Iori! I was wondering if you were going to walk," she explained unnecessarily.

            Iori was taller than he had been about a year ago. He still had the straight buzz-cut brown hair, and the serious jade-green eyes. He was serious, curious, sensible, and responsible ten-year-old. Wise beyond his years, he was a smart and honest kid.

            "Okay," Iori replied, pulling his shoes on. "Let's go," he agreed, closing and locking the door behind him with a soft thud and click, and a jingle of his keys. _–1-_

            They took the elevator down to Takaishi Takeru's level on the building.

            "Hey, you guys!" Takeru greeted cheerily, entering the elevator. "It's been a long time since we've all walked to school together, eh?"

            "Yeah," Miyako and Iori replied, exchanging glances. Somehow, between the both of them, it seemed as if Takeru wasn't truly cheery. It was false. Extraordinarily false.

            "Okay, Takaishi, spill," Miyako finally said sharply, ending the silence, "what's going on?"

            Takeru froze on the inside. He knew that he was terrible at lying, but he tried anyways. "What do you mean? There's nothing wrong," he informed Miyako, panic rising in his throat. He hoped that he would get lucky for once and his lying would work.

            Miyako couldn't exactly decide if Takeru was lying or not. _If Takeru is lying, he lied very well. If he isn't lying, his voice changing,_ Miyako decided. "Okay," Miyako replied, not completely believing it. However, she let him off this time.

            They walked to school, small talk forming. They talked about the weather, classes, sports, and things like that. But they knew that their conversation was just stiff.

            "Hey you guys!" Daisuke greeted them, rounding a corner with Hikari.

            "Hey you two!" Takeru replied, like normal, with a bright, false smile. 

            Miyako watched the behaviours of Takeru and Hikari. She couldn't exactly touch up on it, but something was wrong between them. They were both stiff and formal, but still acted as their normal selves. _Does that make sense, anyways?_ she thought. "Okay you two! There's something wrong, and I'll figure it out!" Miyako burst at Takeru and Hikari.

            Takeru and Hikari exchanged glances of knowingness and fear. "Nothing's wrong, Miyako," they told the lavender-haired girl.

            Miyako raised an eyebrow dubiously. "Uh-huh? Well, I've got to class unlike you all. Got to go! See you later!" she said, breaking the almost-argument.

            Iori watched Miyako run off, with a confused expression on his face. "I've got to go, too," he said and left in a hurry.

            Daisuke glanced at Takeru and Hikari. He observed that their expressions were neutral and cool. They didn't talk much, either. _Why are those two spending so much time together lately? They aren't dating, are they?_ he thought. "Miyako's right. Something's going on between you two," Daisuke decided, raising an eyebrow slowly. 

            "Oh no, you don't have suspicions too, do you?" Hikari groaned. "Yesterday Miyako called me and confronted me. She asked if I was going out with Takeru—yeah, right!" Hikari said, choking the words out of her. _I wish, at least,_ she thought shamefully, lowering her head.

            "Nothing's going on between us," Takeru replied simply, with an edge of iciness barely heard, but heard plenty by Hikari. _Although I wish there was_, Takeru thought wistfully. On second thought, remembering Hikari's telepathy, he added, _God, I was such an idiot last night… I shouldn't have been so cold. If I hadn't been, I would probably still be her friend…_

            Hikari mentally winced when she heard the iciness. "What did Miyako ask you?" she asked, trying to continue the conversation. "That's probably the reason why she had decided to walk to school—ask you about it too."

            Takeru looked up, blue eyes meeting with russet eyes. "Uh, she was just suspicious… I… I… I've got to go," Takeru announced and left at a swift pace.

            Hikari blinked a few times sadly. "Uh… I've got to go, too. See you at lunch Daisuke," she told him. She ran from Daisuke, trying to catch up with Takeru. "Takeru, wait up!"

            Daisuke watched her catch up with Takeru, the iciness still not melted. _Something's wrong between them. It's as if there's a wall between them. Should I take it to my advantage, or should I make things right between them?_ he thought. A thought hit him, _If I don't fix what's wrong between them, everything would be… strange and isolated. Nothing would be right, even if I were dating Hikari._

            Daisuke sighed. He couldn't believe it, but his decision had come to fixing up the relationship between Hikari and Takeru. He stood there for a moment, then ran to catch up with Hikari and Takeru.

*

Daisuke couldn't believe that he was actually going to try to fix Takeru and Hikari's relationship up. 

            Daisuke held his breath as he picked up his phone. He was going to call Miyako to ask her to call Hikari and keep Hikari busy for about… thirty minutes. Daisuke had a quite brilliant and simple plan. He would call and tell Takeru that there was going to be a meeting at Hikari's house in thirty minutes…

            "Hello? Is Miyako there?" Daisuke asked.

            "You're talking to her!" Miyako replied sharply. "What?"

            "Well, I need you to call Hikari and keep on the phone for thirty minutes, while I call Takeru and say that everybody's going to meet at Hikari's house at four-thirty. Nobody's going to be home at that time because Taichi has soccer practice, and their parents are doing something else, probably, and…" Daisuke paused for a breath. "Then Takeru will have to go to Hikari's house and they'll have to fix their relationship up!"

            On the other line, Miyako blinked a few times, and then spit out her coke she was drinking. She couldn't believe that Daisuke was trying to help Hikari and Takeru. She was… amazed. "That's a great plan, Daisuke. That's awfully nice for you—what's the catch?" Miyako asked, still not believing that he was going to set them up. She just couldn't believe it; it wasn't the Daisuke that would have done something this nice that she had met a long time ago. No, he had grown up.

            "There's no catch, Miyako," Daisuke said, "Just call her!"

            "Okay, okay! Sheesh," Miyako muttered, "Bye, and talk to you later."

            They both hung up.

            Daisuke sighed. "One more call to go…" He picked up the phone and dialled Takeru's phone number. Somebody picked up.

            "Hello?" the person on the other line said. "Takaishi residence."

            "Eh, is Takeru home?" Daisuke asked. After pausing, he added, "Is that you, Yamato?"

            On the other line, Ishida Yamato raised an eyebrow. "And why are you calling, Daisuke?"

            "Well, uh, because!" Daisuke replied shortly. 

            Yamato could hear uncertainty in the younger boy's voice. "Okay, Daisuke, there's something going on: tell," he commanded powerfully. Not only was he the friendly open-hearted guy, now, but the sensible one; and anybody with sense could tell that Daisuke was lying, anybody.

            "Well… uh, Hikari just wanted to have a… a buddy group study, thingy," Daisuke explained with a lie. "_Now_, can I speak with Takeru?"

            "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but you better call somebody else after this. I don't want Jun to call here or even know about here," muttered Yamato sourly. "TA-KE-RU!"

            Daisuke waited patiently, or as far as his patience went.

            "Hello?" Takeru said into the phone. "Daisuke?"

            "Yeah," Daisuke answered. "Uh, everybody's meeting at Hikari's, okay? In thirty minutes, so be there, okay???? Bye!" And he hung up, not waiting for an answer. If it happened that Takeru refused, he wouldn't show up, but if he didn't get a chance to answer, he would show up. _I know Takeru too well . . . . ._

*

The blond youth blinked in confusion. "At Hikari's??? In thirty minutes—four-thirty? Might as well go," he muttered.

            "Go where?" Yamato asked.

            "Eh, Hikari's," Takeru said. "I'll have to leave in about ten minutes," he estimated.

            Yamato hid a grin. He doubted that there was going to be a "Study Group". He thought, however, it was a set up. _So his friends noticed a change, too?_ he mused. "Yeah, whatever. _I_ have to go and meet Taichi and Sora, okay? See you," Yamato said. 

            Takeru was alone now.

            "Might as well go to Hikari's early," Takeru muttered, and made his way to the coat closet. "Mom! I'm going to go to Hikari's house! I'll be back!" he said, and left.

            Soon enough, Takeru was at Hikari's apartment—exactly at four-twenty, ten minutes early. He knocked on the door, waiting patiently.

*

Hikari jumped at the phone. Silently she wished that it wasn't Takeru. She had done a good job of avoiding Takeru for the day, and wanted it to stay that way.

            "Hello? Yagami residence," Hikari murmured.__

            "Hey, Hikari!" It was Miyako, ready to spill gossip onto Hikari.

            "Oh, hi, Miyako! Uh… what's going on?" she asked uncertainly. She was afraid that Miyako would ask again if anything was wrong with her. She knew she couldn't keep lying to the ones she cared for in her life. She couldn't keep going like this.

            "Nothing much…" and Miyako babbled on…

            It was four-twenty. "Yeah, yeah," Hikari agreed, half-awake. She was very tired from the lack of sleep she had gotten. She yawned, "Yeah, yeah…uh-hm."

            Out of nowhere, the doorbell rang. Hikari smiled. "Eh, got to go, Miyako. Somebody's at the door, and duty calls. I'm the only one home, anyways…" she muttered. "Well, talk to you later."

            "Yeah, bye!" Miyako said, and hung up.

            Hikari sighed. She hung up, and placed the cordless phone back in its place. Lazily she got up and opened the door, but she wasn't ready for the surprise that was coming………………

*

The door opened on Takeru. 

            "Uh, hi, sorry if I'm early," Takeru said, glancing into the empty apartment and at Hikari's loose dress and apron.

            "What do you mean?" Hikari asked. 

            Takeru gave Hikari a confused glance. "Don't you remember? Everybody's meeting here?"

            Hikari blinked a few times. "I'm not sure if I remember," she mumbled. "Blame it on bad short-term memory!" she said jokingly.

            Takeru and Hikari laughed hoarsely and stiffly, staring at their seemingly interesting socked feet. 

            "Come on in, Takeru-…" Hikari trailed off, pausing to glanced up into Takeru's face bravely. She could see his fine handsome features easily: his hair was slightly smocked with a light damp mist, casually falling onto his face; his blue eyes seemed so blue and irresistible, like the sky's intensely blue eyes, or the Atlantic Ocean's rocky blue ocean; his jaw was strongly defined, not in a brutish manner, but in a handsome and simple way; his golden eyebrows were poised in a joyful expression; his lips were barely parted and signified by the cute, gentle dimples crowning his small smile. She was caught by his eyes, though.

            "Guess I'm early," Takeru remarked, looking up at the clock, breaking his gaze with her. "It's four-twenty. Said we were all supposed to meet at four-thirty."

            Hikari looked to the couch. "Well, sit down," she said hospitably, her voice shaking with inner fear. "D-do you want anything?" She gave a shaky smile, catching her weakness by holding onto the counter with great fear of something inescapable of her mind and heart: love? 

            "Uh, no thank you," Takeru replied, watching her carefully. Her every graceful move counted to him. 

            There was silence. Neither of them knew what to say…

            Takeru thought about the scene from the day before. And he knew what he was going to say… 

            "Hikari, in honesty, I… I'm sorry," Takeru said. "And… you know why I didn't really want you to hang around while I was searching for something? Well… okay, I was searching to see if telepathy and dreams are connected. And they often are. It said that most likely if you have dreams—telepathic dreams—the dreams will be prophetic or show an event of the past. And…"

            Takeru was out of words and of breath. He didn't know what else to say without prying. He deeply wanted to pry, but he knew it just wasn't right. Of course, he'd be bothered if she didn't tell him.

            "So you mean that the dreams tell the future?" Hikari demanded. _No, please, please, let that not be true!_ her mind screamed. "Does that mean it will happen?"

            Takeru watched Hikari's face become tense. "Yes, exactly," he said quite calmly. He knew that everything was just wrong about it all, from him supposed to be killing twice, to the mirror incident, to the strange dreams thrice. Nothing was right about it all.

            "Well… I'm sorry too, Takeru," Hikari said. _But I still won't tell, even if it's that important…_ "And…"

            Again, there was silence. They were both wordless, and planning in their heads.

            Takeru walked across the room to the patio. He watched the rain come down hard, in pitter-patters and distant rumbling thunder. He perked his ears and squinted. "Is that hail?" he asked in disbelief. He could hear the pounding of the hail, and could see it, but he just couldn't believe it. "I guess we're going to have an early winter, eh, Hikari?"

            Hikari watched a sly grin cross his face. "Yeah, I guess," Hikari answered. 

            "I don't think if Miyako or Iori would want to come in this weather," mused Takeru. "I certainly wouldn't want to either. Hail." He gave a small reassuring smile to Hikari; he had to stay strong for her. He was the only light that could lead her out of the dark tunnel, into her safe cave. _-2-_

            Hikari frowned. Hadn't she just been on the phone with Miyako? "Wait. Takeru, I bet you nobody else is coming. It's a set-up," Hikari finally said.

            Takeru turned to Hikari. "They set us up? Go figure. Too much suspicion," Takeru said. "Well, nothing to do about it, then. I think I ought to leave."

            Hikari glanced at Takeru sceptically. "Yeah? I don't think you should. It takes twenty minutes to get to your house, and twenty minutes in that kind of weather? No. You'll just stay here and keep my company until Taichi gets home," Hikari informed the blond boy. "Besides," she added, "I hate thunder."

            "Uh, okay," Takeru said, taking the offer. 

            Hikari walked over to Takeru and joined him at watching the hail. "Well, things could be worse," she murmured dryly, "than hail."

            Suddenly, thunder struck and the lights went out. Takeru froze. "You had to say that?" he questioned wryly. 

            Hikari made a retorting face, and said, "Yes. Now, enough of the jokes. We might get some flashlights and candles—and you should call your mom while you can. I don't think it would be right for me to send you out in this kind of weather."

            "Okay, just where is the phone?" he asked. "It's where it normally is, right?"

            "Yeah," Hikari answered, finding her way to the cabinet where the emergency flashlights were. "Got them!" she yelled, flipping the flashlight on. She beamed the light at the phone so Takeru could find his way.

            Takeru dialled, and said, "Hello? Mom, I don't think I'll be able to get home in this weather… so don't expect me until it's cleared up. Yeah, I'm ok… uh-huh, yeah, yeah… okay, yeah—" Takeru stopped. "Hello? Hello?" To Hikari he said, "The phone's dead…"

            "Well, looks like we're stranded here. Winter's here—look, Takeru. I think the hail and rain is turning to snow. A lot of snow."

            Takeru looked out the patio window. "It's snowing!" he cried with excitement. He smiled slowly, looking into the flurry of snow.

            Hikari grinned. "The first snow of the year. We'll always remember this for a whole year, I reckon. Especially since we're stuck in one place," she said. "Anyways…"

            "At least it isn't thundering anymore," Takeru muttered. He turned around towards Hikari. "Please, please, could you tell? I have a bad feeling about all this. It's all wrong, and if the voice is right…" he trailed off.

            Hikari ignored Takeru, and went to the patio. She tried to ignore Takeru's voice in her head, but it was useless. She walked out onto the patio, and put her hand out. Snowflakes drifted gently onto her palm, and shrank to nothingness in an instant. 

            Takeru neared Hikari slowly and sighed. "Sorry, but remember, I'm always here," he said uncertainly, placing his hand on her shoulder in assurance, although he wasn't sure if he could reassure himself.

            Doubt filled Hikari's mind. _What if this isn't the right thing to do? Should I tell?_ she thought. She weighed the matter in her mind. She turned around and gazed into the blonde's eyes. Her russet eyes locked onto Takeru's blue, blue eyes. Hikari saw something in his eyes. She saw… fear, concern, and… something else unidentifiable. Was it love, or just sibling-like affection? 

            Hikari couldn't stand it anymore. It was neither fair for her nor Takeru to keep secrets from another. They never had, and it just didn't work out when they did.

            She walked into the house, Takeru following her. "Takeru… well, I… I had another dream. It wasn't the dream that was completely terrifying but…" she trailed off. Trembling, she curled onto the couch. _Is it the right thing to do? What if, what if something worse happens?_ she asked herself. Nervously she drew a breath and continued. "Well, my dream. Yes, I was frightened…" she said in short blocks, not sure of herself.

            Takeru took a seat next to Hikari and nodded. "If you don't want to tell, you don't have to," he said. However, he said this not for Hikari's sake but for his. He was afraid of what he was going to hear, but didn't show his fear. He had to be strong for her, like he had been when they were younger . . . .

            "No, I'm going to tell. I finish what I start," Hikari said, determined. She took his hand in her hand and squeezed it. "Promise not to tell?" she asked.

            "I promise, Hikari," Takeru said, squeezing her hand in return. He had to smile inside: the main trait that both Taichi and Hikari carried was determination. 

            Hikari felt reassured, now that she would tell just one other person that she could trust with her life about the scene. "Well, I had a dream and…" Hikari was losing confidence already. "I was going to be killed," she said shortly and oddly. Her voice was stiff upon her lips; she couldn't think straight anymore, in remembering her dream. 

            "H-how?" Takeru stammered.

            "Well… the—something. I was in the dark shadowy place, again. I still don't think it was the World of Darkness, but I might be wrong. Something was off. I was walking nearer to the cave, and then… I heard a crazy psycho maniac laugh. It was evil and dark… I was running to the cave—I don't know why!" Hikari cried, frustrated with herself. Her heartbeat accelerated, and she rushed her words. "I was running to the cave—something was wrong…" She recalled the dream. She could still see it freshly in her mind…

            Hikari closed her eyes, frightful. "Something was wrong," she echoed her words, "I couldn't see anything but shadows. There were a few figures, and…" She took a breath, hoping to calm her quavering and rushed voice, but was unsuccessful. "Something came from behind me. I could feel something behind me, cold and dark. It reached me, and clutched me tightly around the wrists." Reminded of it, Hikari held her hands up. There were scratch scars there, for some reason. _Did it really happen in life?_ she asked herself, pausing. 

            She continued: "Then something choked me. I felt suffocated, not only physically but… I felt enveloped by the dark and cold aura… and then the thing—you know that voice? Well, that voice… was about to kill me with a long and gleaming sword… I woke up, and… the voice told me that I should have died because of some chemical reactions set off when you're about to die in a dream. The voice said that I should have died. Shock releases chemicals…" she murmured, confused. "But I couldn't see the face… I couldn't see the faces, or the people… It was all… shadows…" she whispered. _The World of Darkness, _she thought. She was sure of it by now, no wonder. It was all too familiar, the scenery and the scent, but something was different… "And, well, I could feel the darkness everywhere I went today," she confessed.

            "Waking dreams," he commented with a nod. Takeru sat stiffly. He couldn't understand it, but he could in another sense. He didn't know what he was supposed to do next. _Am I supposed to comfort her, or should I just keep silent?_ He wasn't the best comforter in the world, not anymore. When he had been younger and so unknowing, he had comforted everybody, but now………

            Muffled thunder rumbled in the distance… so faraway, but loud.

            Hikari jumped nervously. "I'm a nervous wreck," she admitted, "I'm just a rack of nerves. I guess the dream has really gotten to me, eh?" she told herself. She sat down once again. However, sleep leaned on her heavily despite her fear of thunderstorms. She yawned, her eyelids heavy. "Do you think…" she trailed off, the words lost in the sudden sleepiness. She relaxed and gently slumped onto Takeru's shoulder.

            Takeru tensed up for a moment, but then relaxed. "She must be sleepy. I bet that she avoided sleep for the past few days in fear of the dream," he told himself aloud. "What did you want to say?" he asked Hikari in a whisper of confusion. He glanced at her, with a small contemplating frown, and he fell into a deep restless sleep…full of dreams.

And I'm ending there, for now. Wow, that must be the longest chapter I have ever written. Six whole pages!!! (Yeah, I know, not very looong…) I know that there are longer chapters out there, but I was worried it was going to be too long. And besides, that was a good place to end. Basically, you can say that hereon, it'll be… more action and adventure than talk and romance. Hey, I'm still planning the final event. It's just dancing in my head, waiting to be written. Get ready, and gear up for some action. :P :D

Actually, next chapter will be his dreams, and will explain some stuff – then, the action kicks in. Don't worry, I'll have the next chapter up in two weeks or so…^.^

~Kara Kasai: please review by clicking on that cool little rectangular box if you have any questions, comments, feedback, or else I'll think it's all fine and stuff. But please review anyways. =^-^= Please??? Thank you. ^_^

Notes:

_-1-_:In Asian homes, they do not wear shoes inside. It is custom to take off shoes and walk around the house barefooted. Thus, Iori is pulling his shoes on. 

_-2-_: Argh, indefinitely inspired by John Steinbeck's work – in my eighth grade English class, we've been talking about "Of Mice and Men" – very interesting work, and recommendable because it has a very small revelation to Digimon: Am I my sister's keeper?—better known as, "Am I my brother's keeper?" from the Bible. But it's inspired by Steinbeck because it says that Lennie volunteers to go away, into a cave – think, what's a cave symbolic for? ^.~ *A cave is safe, or foreboding, or a home………*


	8. chapter 8

Okay, so maybe another pointless chapter, but I have completely forgotten the total plot of this story, so bear with me until I recollect my thoughts. Actually, I have just realized: this has a very important theme that completely supports not only the title but the outcome. I think I¡¯m beginning to remember again. :) Enjoy the last, and this time I really do think I mean last when I say it, LAST chapter of any bits of sentimental, big character-depth stuff or fluff. :P You¡¯ll live off of what¡¯s all ready there. 

Replies:

chloe-laroo - Well, here¡¯s the new chapter!

Tiffany - Somehow I¡¯m not offended since you didn¡¯t point out what you disliked so much. ^.^;

KarenSedai - Kibou no Tenshi - *laughs* I have to admit, it does sound funny with all the ¡®blue¡¯ in there. 

Silver Warrior – thank you for your compliments, and here¡¯s a part to read. 

miya wada - Hi you two, hope you¡¯re enjoying ¡®Nukegara¡¯ and thank you for taking your time to read my stories, and, um, yeh, I used the anime words to lighten the mood a bit. I¡¯m awful at humour, or at least I think I am. ^.^;; 

K.B Aleo - I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t read your story yet. I¡¯ve been really busy in trying to catch up with my writing, but I¡¯ll do it next weekend when I actually *don¡¯t* have anything due. Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m on spring break and I have homework. -.-# 

Thanks all for bearing with me so far and actually clicking on the button and reading and reviewing. Read on. :)

**Believe in Magic**

Frowning, thinking back upon the conversation they had had the other day, he clenched his fists. He wanted to know what was going on, but he would not push it. He was not the forceful kind of person; he was gentle and sensible, but unbearably naïve and gullible at times. Kicking the muddy pieces of ice with his shoe, he kept walking to school. His hands forced the way back into his pockets, looking for warmth and comfort. He could still remember the good times, but that was such a long way off. He could remember asking the girl a special question: _Do you believe in magic?_ And she had replied, _Yes, I do. It had been a dreary day when they had been trapped inside the house, with so much energy inside of them. It could have fuelled the whole world to keep spinning for an eternity. It had been raining on that day, harsh and bitter across the many people who were walking home alone with sad faces. Some did not have umbrellas, rushing to the local subway station. Yet somehow that day had been full of magic; when she answered __Yes, the sun shone brightly across the Caribbean blue sky, lighting up people¡¯s faces with smiles. It had been magic._

She was the same exact girl. Dark brown hair sliced short in a bob and a few bangs. Dark muddied rose-coloured eyes. A pleasant, gentle voice. Small hands of a child. However she and he were still not adults; they were young adults; they were children. They could not be fully independent yet. Not yet. 

His icy Atlantic eyes glimmered in the sunlight. He wanted to be a child, but also an adult. But Takeru could not be both at the same time. He was a child that acted like an adult. He was still small, but very tall for his age. He could be mistaken to be as old as Yamato, but in his face one could see his youth; in his eyes, there was an ancient wisdom present. Comforting himself as he walked up the school steps, he was startled to see Hikari with dark, disappointed, teary eyes. She stood there, like a ghost of the past, haunting him. ¡°Hikari?¡± he questioned; his jaw stiffening as he saw the state she was in, ¡°Who did this to you? Tell me -¡± He stopped. His eyes had played tricks on him again. Ever since this had all started, he had begun seeing things that he was not supposed to see, hearing things he was not supposed to hear, writing things he was not supposed to write. He was frozen there, feeling chilled. 

¡°Takeru?¡± a familiar voice called out cheerily. Her ruby eyes sparkled in the wind. She walked towards a slightly hunched figure, looking to her like Takeru. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go in Takeru? It¡¯s our job to set up the class, or at least yours,¡± she mentioned to him with a bright smile of her slightly crooked teeth, ¡°but since I¡¯m such a nice person I¡¯ll help you! Come on.¡± She slipped her arm through his, feeling warm and safe and happy. 

The boy stood there, trying to figure out things. A moment ago he had been so numbed, but now there was the light guiding him. Hikari . . . ¡°Thanks,¡± he whispered, tagging along slightly beside the girl. He opened the door in a gentlemanly way, smiling, ¡°Ladies first.¡± She laughed; Takeru loved it when she laughed, like the gentle tinkling of deep, mellow bells. It made the whole world feel so much better, just like when they had been younger and Takeru had clumsily tripped; Hikari had kissed his scrape, and at that moment, the pain disappeared like magic. She continued to walk down the hall with a slightly billowing, green, pleated skirt, her school shoes clapping against the tiled floor. Through the light it was like she was an angel; a slight halo edged at her hair from the reflection of the light. Silently smiling, he raced after her into the classroom. They took off their winter jackets, stuffing them into the lockers at the back of the classroom and softly beaming at each other. 

Takeru wanted to reach out to her and draw her close into his arms and comfort her even though he did not completely understand her situation. He wanted to see her happy, most of all. She was his best friend after all, and he thought that she, of all the girls, deserved the best of everything. She had always been a strong person, even through the rough, rocky spots in her life like when she had had pneumonia. She had always wanted the best for others, and would sacrifice herself for that. She was always so kind, but only up to a point. She was smart in a social way as opposed to street smart, but she would always remain to be a strong figure. Nobody else had to deal with the Dark Ocean but her, and that made her stronger every time she came out. ¡°Hikari-chan . . .¡± he began, but stopped himself. She looked so happy; he did not want to disturb her happy spirit with such dark words. 

Busily he picked up the grey papers, placing a sheet on every desk. Upon reaching Hikari¡¯s desk, the paper seemingly slipped, cutting Takeru¡¯s finger. Dark rose, metallic blood slightly oozed at the cut, staining the paper with an inky mark. He could still hear the raspy voice as if his pursuer were standing next to him: _Those hands will kill . . ._ Shivering slightly at a handful of flashbacks of the past few weeks, he bit down, pressing against his finger. The stinging felt unbearable, like all paper cuts. _Those hands will kill . . ._ The blond shuddered lightly at the recollection of the low, crackling voice. Guiltily looking down at his small, still childish hands, for a second he could have sworn they were covered in blood. He could even smell the metallic tinge it had, yet it was not there anymore. Quietly he muttered to himself, ¡°Takeru, you need to take a break. You¡¯re going to go paranoid.¡±

¡°Excuse me?¡± Hikari swiftly turned, raising an eyebrow. 

Takeru just smiled back at her comfortably, and softly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. But . . . hey, want to do something relaxing this weekend or something? You¡¯ve just seemed so stressed, and I could use a break myself - maybe all of us should go for a picnic or to the ice rink or something. It would be great to have a small break from school, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Looking into the reflection the window gave him, he studied himself. He looked so childish in his eyes. Watching the rain coming down heavily, pouring with large drops of acidic water, he sighed with a smile. ¡°I wish it would rain all the time. I love the rain - it¡¯s so bittersweet. It¡¯s refreshing and sweetly depressing, and it cleanses you. Also it¡¯s always so dark and cold on the other hand. Yet it¡¯s a balance. There¡¯s always a rainbow afterwards, shining with its brilliance to uplift souls to the stars,¡± he explained with deep thought. Pausing, he blushed, mumbling, ¡°Just like you.¡± In a clearer voice, he flushed darker, ¡°I¡¯m beginning to sound like Takeuchi-sensei, aren¡¯t I? Rambling on and on . . .¡± 

A soft, pleasant laugh of tinkling deep bells was his reply. He smiled. He liked seeing Hikari happy and would do anything for her happiness. There were many times he felt sudden urges to reach out and embrace her tightly, yet he restrained himself. Hikari had always preferred being independent, though she thought very little of herself. She had always thought that she was a burden, and thence had little self-esteem. However she was growing up, becoming her own person and her confidence in her self was growing. She was running ahead of him in the game, though she was naturally older than him. 

The girl smiled, closing in on Takeru. Taking his hand into hers and leaning on his shoulder lightly, she told him, ¡°Even though you ramble on, that¡¯s part of who you are and I like you for that. You really do have the poet¡¯s touch. All those words were really beautiful.¡± This made Takeru smile, for he knew that Hikari had the hardest time in their writing class, so she would not know very well about poetry. ¡°They were all beautiful to my ears, Takeru. I believe you can become a really great writer, and then you¡¯ll forget little me,¡± she laughed sorely, loosening her grip on his hand and edging away slowly and sadly. Her heart sank, thudding heavily and painfully against her chest. 

Takeru was shocked that she would think that. Comforting her, ¡°Hey, Hika-chan, hey, I¡¯ll never forget you. We¡¯ll always be best friends, pinkie promise,¡± he informed her with a small hopeful smile. Their pinkies linked, locking. Yet, was it a promise that they could keep? Hikari was about to hug him, but as the classroom door slowly slid open, she decided to break the moment and turned back to slowly placing paper upon each desk. Takeru stared at her with hurt eyes, feeling great disappointment. He wondered if she just did not want to be seen with him. Brushing away the thoughts, he concentrated on the rain, a safer subject to think upon. 

*

The bell rang loudly. Soft sighs were heard across the class as the teacher dismissed them all, she being thankful that the week was over as well. Though Saturday was slightly shorter than the rest of the week, for the students and teacher, it had seemed like the longest day of them all. Everybody was glad for the midwinter break that had been created quite recently, though they still had homework over vacation. There was bustling, people hurrying out the door, and others that were slower. Hikari took her time, quietly putting away her _Hello Kitty! mechanical pencil into her _Bishoujo___ Senshi Sailor Moon pencil case, and zipped up her book bag by the __Gundam_ Wing_ keychain she had been given as a joke by a friend. Noticing Takeru waiting for her, she quickened her speed. Takeru still had the idea in his head about going ice skating or picnicking to relax. She let him convince her, though, because by his eyes she could easily read his every thought; also through her telepathy. She had quickly succumbed to its power, and slowly had learnt to somewhat control it. _

¡°Shall I send you on your way home?¡± he asked, bowing slightly and opening the front school door for her in a gentlemanly way. She giggled, laughing at Takeru¡¯s gentlemanliness. He truly amused her heart to a lightness, sweetness - he could always see the silver lining to things and showed it to everybody else in a gentle, sweet, childish way. He still held the innocence he had had as a much younger child, but he was also now standing far taller than her. He led her out as Prince Charming had led his Princess, yet a small pain in her heart brought her down to earth. She chided herself and became realistic: _We¡¯d never become lovers. Deep in thought, she didn¡¯t heart Takeru calling her name. _

¡°Earth to Hikari, Earth to Hikari, are you in there?¡± the younger youth questioned, waving a hand in front of the distanced, daydreaming Hikari, ¡°Yoo-hoo, Hikari?¡± Taking on a firmer, teacher-like voice, he commanded, ¡°Yagami-kun, please translate the following into Japanese: _This person is not a human; she is a monster._¡±

¡°_Kono__ hito ningen ja nai yo; bakemono da - HEY!!!¡± With fury, she snapped at Takeru, ¡°What was that for? Are you talking about me? Hey, that was mean Takaishi! Where are you going? Hey, come back here you idiot! Wait until I get my hands on you!¡± Racing after the blond with all her might, she knew that her energy would go only so far. She had never been wonderful with endurance as to speed. She gave it her all, closing on Takeru. Yet she knew that he was purposely running slowly; he could run far faster than that if he really wanted to. He was only playing with her, making her even angrier. ¡°Takaishi, I know that you aren¡¯t doing your best! Fight for real!¡± she yelled at him viciously, catching up as her anger fuelled her up. Jumping swiftly and landing on Takeru with a small ¡°oof¡±, she smiled in pleasure. They had landed on the soft grass, with the soft spring light quietly rising across Takeru¡¯s face, showing a dark flush spreading across his face. Hikari soon realised they were in a very awkward position and the drivers and people passing by were giving them dark, strange looks. Hikari flushed, rose, hand reached out as to help her poor blond friend up, hissing, ¡°You still owe me Takaishi.¡±_

Takaishi grinned, then grimaced as he rose with the held of the girl. ¡°But you can¡¯t resist my so adorable and handsome face, according to your classmates,¡± he retorted, smiling sweetly. She snorted, ¡°That¡¯s them! But me . . . you owe me.¡± With a sigh of defeat, he replied, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take you to dinner and a movie after ice skating. Fair enough?¡± Laughing, ¡°Because of your sweet face, you are one really lucky blond . . . . fine, fair enough.¡± Takeru was about to argue about his sweet face, yet seeing her amused and twisted look, he let it pass. 

Together with Takeru leading them, holding hands as to not lose each other in the crowd, they pushed, shoved, made their way through finally to the ice rink. Though earlier in the week it had been terribly blustery and raining all day, the weather had lightened up into a more spring-like fashion with the bright sunlight touching the fields with its buttercup rays, lighting up the whole world in a romantic, beautiful way. The sun was in mid-sky, shattering into thousands of glittering dark pieces of dusk: orange, red, purple, pink, and blue, with few clouds hiding the beautiful sight. The sky was still light, with a dusty, sparkly feel to it, like the whole world had been thrown into a cosmic stream of stardust. The warmth of the day was not gone at all, but slowly warming the duo¡¯s hearts to a fine crystal sparkling like the wind. (1)

¡°So, hurry up, let¡¯s go skate,¡± Takeru smiled down at Hikari enthusiastically. ¡°I brought my skates,¡± he said sweetly, a pair of skates dangling at his shoulder, ¡°but did you? Last time from what I recall, you can be very forgetful.¡± 

As Hikari turned to look at Takeru with a dark, sharp glare, she softened her voice and spoke clearly, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not forgetful; it¡¯s you who¡¯s forgetful, Takeru.¡± She forgot her light, fake anger towards the boy at the amused sparkle of his light Caribbean blue eyes and small childish smile on his face. He was still just like a child, small tufts of hair blowing at his forehead and the optimistic look that seemed to melt away her friends. Restraining her self from tapping into his thoughts, she retorted, ¡°They¡¯re right here, see?¡± Yet to her dismay, she saw he had nonchalantly put his skates on already and with a beckoning voice, he said, ¡°Put on your skates while I get us some hot chocolate - with marshmallows, right? It¡¯s tradition, after all,¡± with a cute, flirty wink. Batting Takeru away with her arm, she nodded with approval. Takeru could be impossible sometimes. 

Shoving her feet into the skates and lacing the white strings up, she stared into the darkening, rosy sky. It was just like black ink spreading across a rose petal, slowly like a disease. A cup was shoved into her hand, hot and steaming puffs rising from it. Smiling down into the dark chocolate-coloured liquid, filled with big fluffy marshmallow, she contently sipped it slowly, burning her tongue at first. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re always very kind to me Takeru,¡± she told to him kindly, ¡°and I want to thank you, also, for always being here for me. You definitely win the best friend award, so I¡¯ll treat to desert of ice cream.¡± Laughing, ¡°We¡¯re being spoilt this evening, but it might be the last of this kind, you know . . .¡± and trailed off, staring into her cup. 

Takeru sensed Hikari¡¯s disposition and discomfort. Quickly he acted upon this, taking her hand and leading her to the ice rink. Softly he said, ¡°Let¡¯s skate.¡± Though Hikari was not the world¡¯s greatest skater, just for that night, they seemed to dance on the silver lining of the clouds, float and sparkle in the wind. Just for that night, they seemed perfectly calm. Together they skated into the sun, the red light lightly reflected by the shiny surface of the rink. Together it seemed they had flown across many galaxies for a quiet, peaceful time together, one last time.

_Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars. In other words, hold my hand! In other words, darling, kiss me! Fill my heart with song, and let me sing forevermore. You are all I long for, all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true! In other words, I love you!_ (2)

Together under the beaming full moon, they skated. Somewhere between their friendship and love, they had flown to the moon, to the stars, to a whole other galaxy on their love. 

*

_"The Time has come, Master, and let us begin the process of the Awakening."_

_"The Time has come," a chant comes silently, blowing its way across the newly blooming _sakura, _"Awaken, Awaken . . ." They are moving again, their image and figure hidden behind a storm of sand, only their mere, vague shadows are apparent for certain. A wind swiftly turns around the other way; trouble is brewing. The sea¡¯s waves crash along the coast, loudly and unnaturally; trouble is coming soon. Nature¡¯s cycle is disturbed by this trouble. It is coming soon. The Time is coming. Awaken._

*

For a quick dinner before a movie, the two friends had gone quickly to the _Sandwich Club for sandwiches and soda. They had then gone to see the new movie release _Sen___ to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (3), loving it like the rest of the audience. As Hikari promised, she took Takeru out for ice cream at the local __Ice Cream Shoppe. Quietly entering the small, cozy shop, they ordered their specials. Takeru had always loved chocolate chip mint ice cream, while Hikari had always liked the simple, one-flavoured ice creams like vanilla or strawberry or chocolate. While people¡¯s stares gathered at the two kids, eating ice cream and only dressed in shirts and jeans. Yet neither Hikari nor Takeru minded for they were happily eating ice cream and for once in a long time things seemed relatively normal for the Chosen Children of Light and Hope. _

¡°I¡¯ll take you home, I insist my Lady Light,¡± he said with a quick grin as Hikari in return swatted him playfully. Walking down the dark sidewalks, only slightly lit up by the streetlights, they made their way to Heighten View Terrace, where the Yagami apartment was located. 

¡°I can take myself up, Takeru, and thank you . . . again,¡± Hikari quickly told him, tightening her grip on his shoulder. She had never realised she was holding him so close, and let him go. ¡°Have a good night and sweet dreams, Takeru,¡± she called off, ¡°_oyasumi-nasai__!¡± As she unlocked the front door with her keys and stopped at the door, looking straight into Takeru¡¯s eyes, she could see she had hurt him. She had an urge to go back to him and say sorry, but she was not sure for what she was sorry for. Yet it was he who came to the door, tugging at it with sparkling eyes. She opened the door and walked out to him, as if in a dream. It seemed like there were tears in his eyes that would never end but when Hikari¡¯s hands touched the edges of his eyes to wipe the tears, they were dry. Yet there were streaks of water at the edge of his cheeks. _

¡°Hikari,¡± Takeru began solemnly, ¡°do you still believe in magic?¡±

If it would make Takeru any bit happier from the solemn, sad state he was in, she would say yes. Yet inside she was not sure if she believed in magic anymore. She felt too old to believe in magic, but she only nodded sadly to Takeru¡¯s brightening face. 

¡°You had better go in,¡± Takeru whispered to her, only inches away from her.

The girl nodded, rushing in and taking a last glance at Takeru. His lips moved, but she could hear no words. Slipping to the eighth floor and unlocking the door, she sighed and leaned against the door as soon as she got inside. Closing her eyes, she could form an image of Takeru at the door. What had he said? 

¡°Where were you?¡± asked Taichi nonchalantly, reaching for a can of soda.

¡°No where.¡±

¡°Really? Who did you go out with?¡±

¡°None of your business.¡±

¡°We were worried, because . . . well, you know, lately, strange events . . .¡±

¡°Don¡¯t worry. I had a wonderful night.¡±

¡°With Takeru?¡±

¡°With Takeru. So? We went to the ice rink and it felt like he had flown me to the moon and I could really touch the stars. We had dinner and a movie, you know the new one, _Sen__ to Chihiro no Kamikakushi. We went for ice cream. I had fun, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± she rambled, a rosy flush rising on her neck and cheeks. It had been like magic, just for the night, but was there really magic? Rushing to the balcony to see a glimpse of Takeru, she yelled, ¡°I believe in magic, Takeru!¡± She knew she was disturbing the neighbours with such a yell at the late hour, but he had to know. With his last acknowledgement of a small nod and hopeful smile, she returned inside._

¡°With Takeru.¡±

¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯m going to bed, good night Taichi. Don¡¯t be so suspicious.¡± She had had a wonderful night. There was magic that had sparked between the two.

¡°With Takeru,¡± Taichi softly whispered to himself. He went to the balcony. Sighing into the shimmering moon, its light beaming across the park, he nodded. ¡°She sounds like she¡¯s in love,¡± he gloomily told him self, ¡°so now she doesn¡¯t need me, a big brother. Well, at least she couldn¡¯t have picked a better person to trust.¡± Her words echoed in his mind: _it felt like he had flown me to the moon and I could really touch the stars_. ¡°But did she touch back onto earth?¡± he lightly chuckled. ¡°Yep, my little sister¡¯s all grown up. Just yesterday I was making her eggs and she was blowing her whistle at me . . .¡± The clouds darkened over him as he returned to the house, checking on a sweetly sleeping Hikari. ¡°My little sister¡¯s all grown up,¡± he repeated again. 

(1) - I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯ve always seen wind as . . . ¡®sparkling¡¯ in some strange sorts though it really doesn¡¯t sparkle in exact reality. 

(2) - ¡°Fly me to the Moon¡± is the version from Neon Genesis Evangelion, its ending song I believe, sung by Hayashibara Megumi. Though it sounds a bit weird at times, it gives me a very classy, Nordstrom feel because of its piano and background. ^.^;; Sorry, flashback there. So, I just thought it was a bit appropriate and . . . in other words, I was listening to it while writing this. :P Yes it was originally in English, not translated by anybody. And I don¡¯t own that song, did I mention that? 

(3) - Also known as _Spirited Away by Miyazaki Hayao (surname, name). It¡¯s supposed to be a really great movie - though it had released in Japan a year or two ago, I think, it was popularly watched - highest ranking as most watched, even more watched than __Titanic. Proves something, eh? Also won the Grammy Award, I think, for the best animation movie. I¡¯m sure it deserved it, too._

Notes on Japanese school (revised): 

--Primary school is between year 1-6, ¡°middle¡± or ¡°junior¡± school is years 7-9, and secondary/high school is years 10-12, but I think only the first nine years are required (which does not include kindergarten or pre-school). 

--The thing about most Japanese schools is that the classes are divided into teams, often the year and a number or year and letter: 8-2, or 6-C. You have every class with your team, because *ding, ding* you stay in the same class room all day. :P It¡¯s the teachers that move around, not the students. And in between every class, there¡¯s a 10 minute break for socialization. Also you eat lunch in the classroom, often, and while many bring lunch, lunch can also be bought at school. There are vending machines around the school too, and the bread that isn¡¯t sold during the day from the cafeteria is given away (from what I¡¯ve heard) just like in Ranma 1/2. *laughs* And everyday, the schedule is different. Since Japan (and other Asian countries) has so many subjects to take, the schedule goes on a weekly basis as opposed to a daily basis. There will *always* be uniforms in public Japanese schools, and there are also codes on hair. O_o No perms, no dye . . . So, in the last two years of ¡°high¡± school, kids are split into two different groups: ones who study humanity and arts, and those who study in science and math. Also there¡¯s always entrance exams to get into high school since it isn¡¯t required.

--There are ahead-of-time-made dates to switch from winter clothing to summer clothing, and vice versa. 

--Everybody has to clean in most schools as part of school. :P

--I¡¯m beginning to feel all written out, so if you want more information, either request it as part of the next chapter or ask me to email it. Please if you¡¯re tempted to email me, use the subject: Believe in Magic so I can sort my mail. :) And, lastly, please review. I enjoy reading all reviews! Make me feel spoilt. ^.~

--K. Kasai (see that cute little button down there?)


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